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Most people think they know what a nursing home is, but they’ve never heard the voices inside.
The quiet moments of compassion. The stories of resilience. The people who show up, not just because it’s their job, but because it’s their calling.
Brought to you by Majestic Care, Hearts of Excellence shares what it truly means to live and work in long-term care. Through real, unscripted conversations with our care team members, leaders, and resident families, we reveal what excellence looks like in action, and, most importantly, why it matters.
Behind every resident is a family who wants to know they’re cared for. Behind every caregiver is a heart that chose this work for a reason.
Long-term care isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the beginning.
[00:00:00] David Frey: I mean, it's more person-centered than anything. Yeah. Like, we do give the medical care and all that, but creating those relationships with the residents, I mean, you'll keep those residents in your mind forever. Going in every day and talking with the residents, hearing them crack a joke and everything like that, that, that's my favorite part of going to work every day.
[00:00:23] Chelsey Gheyara: You're listening to Hearts of Excellence, brought to you by Majestic Care, where real stories from long-term care come to life. Today's guest is David Frey, the executive director of Majestic Care of North Vernon, a leader who has been in healthcare administration for just over a year, but whose connection to this work goes back much further.
[00:00:44] He grew up watching his mother care for others. He spent nearly a decade watching a family member navigate long-term care. And when he walked into Majestic Care as an operations intern, something clicked that a classroom couldn't quite have prepared him for. This is a story today of how a person becomes the leader a community needs, not because they planned it, but because the work chose them.
[00:01:10] Hi, David. Hello.
[00:01:10] David Frey: Thank you for having me.
[00:01:11] Chelsey Gheyara: Welcome to the Hearts of Excellence. You're welcome. Thanks for being here.
[00:01:15] Paul Pruitt: That's a great bio. It is. My details, like, steal it from my LinkedIn post. Yeah. It's like, "Boy, that sounds really good."
[00:01:22] Chelsey Gheyara: Have you at least-
[00:01:23] Paul Pruitt: Yeah, that's awesome.
[00:01:24] Chelsey Gheyara: That's awesome. I can't wait to, to dive in and learn more.
[00:01:28] I feel like there's so much to unpack there.
[00:01:30] Paul Pruitt: There's a lot.
[00:01:31] Chelsey Gheyara: There's a lot of really good stuff here that our leaders and our listeners are going to learn today. So let's go ahead and dive in. So you grew up watching your mother as a nurse, and had a family member in long-term care for nearly 10 years.
[00:01:46] Before you ever had a job in healthcare, what did care look like to you from the outside?
[00:01:53] David Frey: So growing up, my family, they instilled great values in me and showed what it really is like to care for one another. And I remember my mom as a nurse at St. Vincent, the coag unit, when she would have a, a patient there that was there for years, coming in weekly or monthly, um, when they would end up passing away, she would go to their funeral and visitations.
[00:02:13] And seeing that, it was just, it showed such a great example of what it's like to care for someone beyond the care that you're giving in the hospital setting.
[00:02:22] Paul Pruitt: Who did your mom care for f- as a family member?
[00:02:25] David Frey: So she didn't actually care for-
[00:02:26] Paul Pruitt: Oh ...
[00:02:26] David Frey: anyone, but my grandpa, he actually... She cared for him a lot when he was battling leukemia.
[00:02:31] Okay. And actually, a cool story with that is when he was battling leukemia, my family sent a message to former Colts coach Chuck Pagano.
[00:02:40] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:02:41] David Frey: So he also battled leukemia and wrote a book about it, and he ended up sending a signed book with a little note to my grandpa, which, I mean, seeing that little act of kindness, it, it really just shows, like, what caring for another individual is like.
[00:02:54] And acts of kindness like that go a long way for people that are going through tough times.
[00:02:59] Chelsey Gheyara: Absolutely.
[00:02:59] Paul Pruitt: Wow. So did she help navigate the, like, the healthcare journey for your c- your grandpa as he- Yeah ... was going through it and
[00:03:07] David Frey: everything? Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's great to have that some- that person in the family to be able to navigate the healthcare journey.
[00:03:12] Yeah. And even, like, growing up as a kid, like, "You don't need to go to the hospital, just put a Band-Aid on it." Right. Which is, which is a nice thing, so. Exactly.
[00:03:18] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah, everything's fine. Right. Yeah. You're not dying. Mm-hmm. Just put a Band-Aid, keep going. Yeah. Get back on your bike.
[00:03:24] Paul Pruitt: Yeah. Okay, the blood's... Okay, it's gushing a little bit, but it'll stop.
[00:03:28] Yeah. Just go out and have fun. Yeah. A little dirt will pack it in there and- ... keep it from bleeding anymore. Exactly.
[00:03:34] Chelsey Gheyara: You probably have tons of stories about that. Oh, yes. So you're a twin.
[00:03:38] David Frey: I am.
[00:03:39] Chelsey Gheyara: Oh, my goodness, that's so cool. So your twin brother is studying physical therapy.
[00:03:43] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:03:44] Chelsey Gheyara: How cool. So- I wanna talk a little bit about that as well, but what does it mean to have a sibling choosing a life also caring for people at the same time that you are?
[00:03:55] David Frey: I think it's so cool that we both have the passion to care for other people and help them improve, whether it's through physical therapy or for directing a long-term care facility and- Yeah ... uh, making sure that they, they get the care that they deserve.
[00:04:07] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:04:08] Paul Pruitt: Is he in P- I can't remember. Is he in school for, he actual the program or-
[00:04:12] David Frey: Yeah, so he's in a hybrid program at Hanover.
[00:04:15] Paul Pruitt: Okay.
[00:04:15] David Frey: So it's, it's pretty unique and cool, and I think it's only two years that he has to do it, so he should be finishing up here probably this year. Nice.
[00:04:22] Paul Pruitt: What's a hyper- like what does that mean?
[00:04:24] David Frey: He only has to go to Hanover, like, every month- Mm-hmm ... or every other month- Oh, God ... for a couple weeks, and the rest is just online at home.
[00:04:31] Paul Pruitt: Oh, that's very cool.
[00:04:32] Chelsey Gheyara: That is really neat.
[00:04:33] Paul Pruitt: And will he graduate? 'Cause I know, uh, I don't know if it's every state, but will he graduate with his doctorate, or will it be a master's? Doctorate,
[00:04:40] David Frey: I believe.
[00:04:40] Paul Pruitt: Okay. Yeah, back in the day, it used to be just a bachelor's, and now it's up to a doctorate level for PT, so that's amazing.
[00:04:47] Chelsey Gheyara: That is awesome. So when you started as an operations intern at our, um, home office here in Westfield, what were you expecting when you came in, and what surprised you during your time here?
[00:05:01] David Frey: So that operations internship was my first experience of long-term care, and I really didn't know what to expect. I mean, I grew up watching my mom be a nurse in the hospital and everything like that.
[00:05:11] Coming here as an operations internship, sitting in meetings with Paul, and just experiencing and gathering all that data and ver- information was really cool, and I had the cool opportunity to go out and visit, I believe it was, like, 10 or 11 facilities- Yeah ... that Majestic Care has and just seeing the different populations- Yeah
[00:05:28] residents, care teams. It was really unique.
[00:05:32] Paul Pruitt: I would have to say so, 'cause y- it was, what, two years ago that you did your intern?
[00:05:38] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:05:39] Paul Pruitt: So David was the first for the company.
[00:05:42] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:05:43] Paul Pruitt: And there was really, there wasn't really a program. It was just kind of- Not that I'm aware of There was- I just got
[00:05:49] David Frey: thrown in here.
[00:05:49] It was like-
[00:05:50] Paul Pruitt: It w- "Learn
[00:05:51] David Frey: this."
[00:05:51] Paul Pruitt: It was,
[00:05:53] Chelsey Gheyara: it was like-
[00:05:53] Paul Pruitt: That's awesome. Thank God, she was very motivated and self-starting. Yeah. 'Cause I think it was truly like, "Okay, yeah, we can do this."
[00:06:00] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:06:00] Paul Pruitt: But he just jumped in, and I think that's why, you know, if I go back to that time, couldn't have asked for a better intern.
[00:06:07] That's awesome. Because when you don't have something and then, hey, take that on, and if somebody's not a self-starter, it would've been a miserable process for them. But David set his course, and he knew what he wanted, and he went out, set up the meetings with the buildings and went out and toured the buildings and worked through it and really took on that journey.
[00:06:24] Yeah. And really probably helped set the framework for our AIT program, too, to work on building that to move it forward.
[00:06:32] David Frey: Yeah, looking back on the operations internship, it's kind of fun looking back, 'cause I did visit North Vernon for a day, and it was the- Okay ... last day of their annual survey. So that was my first survey experience, and now I'm at that building- Yeah
[00:06:43] running that building. You're leading it. And then also visiting Bloomington with Warren, who ended up becoming my preceptor through my whole AIT pro- process, was really cool.
[00:06:52] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:06:52] Paul Pruitt: And remind me, David, how long is it for a prece- for your in- like, your AIT program
[00:06:58] David Frey: is? So it's six months to a year. After six months, you have to get a certain number of hours, and then you can start taking the exams.
[00:07:04] Paul Pruitt: So it's, it's based on hours, not like- Mm-hmm ... so you, typically it can be as soon as six months, but it- Mm ... can take up to a year.
[00:07:11] David Frey: Yeah, so mine took about eight months after I got the hours and then scheduled for the exams and then passed all the exams.
[00:07:17] Paul Pruitt: Nice. Okay.
[00:07:18] Chelsey Gheyara: That's what I think is so fascinating, and I'm excited for our listeners to hear about- Yeah
[00:07:22] is your journey because y- you know, starting as our very first intern here at our home office and now you're leading one of our buildings, which is so cool and just really a fantastic perspective that I want our young leaders to hear. Yeah. And to Paul's point, just being that sponge, I can imagine just being kind of, okay, you show up, and then you're saying, "Here you go.
[00:07:46] Learn this," and you're just taking it all in. And I'm excited as we walk through this today of what you learned and how you've been able to apply it to your day-to-day now. It's really, really cool. '
[00:07:56] Paul Pruitt: Cause one of the things if, as we go through this, it'd be interesting because again, I think for our listeners and for the younger population, there's not a lot of exposure for people in the, out in the world about this industry or what it can bring as a leader and bring that awareness.
[00:08:14] Like, this is a great opportunity.
[00:08:16] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:08:17] Paul Pruitt: To truly, it's a great career. It can be a great career f- you know, if you pursue it. But again, I don't think a lot of people recognize it 'cause I did my master's in business, but it was, um, an MBA, and it was... A lot of schools don't have a strong concentration on long-term care.
[00:08:31] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. '
[00:08:31] Paul Pruitt: Cause most people wanna go into hospital administration. Mm-hmm. That's just kinda where the focus is, and- Yeah ... but there's not a big concentration. So I'd be curious to know, again, as we go through the questions and the journey is, how did, other than the internship, like, how do we encourage other leaders, young leaders?
[00:08:48] 'Cause I'm in my 50s, and I don't think I wanna do this until I'm 90. Maybe. But again, how do we encourage that younger population to really wanna strive to be in this industry and really- Yeah ... do what's, what we all wanna do, which is bring great care to our residents?
[00:09:02] David Frey: So I definitely think there is an opportunity at universities where long-term care leaders can go in and talk to classrooms about what it is like really in long-term care, because I never got that.
[00:09:15] I know we had people that came from pharmaceutical industries that came in and talked to us. So IU offers a long-term care course now. They didn't before, but I think there's such an opportunity to reach out to those people, because in my graduating class, I only knew one other person that was going into an AIT.
[00:09:30] Chelsey Gheyara: Really?
[00:09:30] David Frey: And if people knew about it, I really feel like they'd be interested to be those healthcare leaders- Yeah ... in the industry.
[00:09:36] Paul Pruitt: That's interesting. So when I was a COO at my last company, there was a person, and again, I'll have to tag her 'cause her name's Elise. She was probably the same as David. So same thing happened, though, is Grand Valley reached out and allowed me to come in and talk to the class, and there was a couple people.
[00:09:58] It was Elise and Rachel. So Rachel ended up joining our company in the HR function. She was working on her master's in Healthcare Administration, and Elise was working on her master's, but she wanted to go into administration. So she reached out, and again, we're talking in early 20s. Yeah. So I'm sitting there and she goes, "Can we do coffee?"
[00:10:17] We went and had coffee, and I'm sitting there thinking in my head, I'm like, "How do you even know what you wanna do? You're in your 20s." Yeah. And so we sat there and, but really she just was like, "What's my best foot to get in the door? How do I start my journey? Where do I go? How do I start proceeding?" And the fascinating to watch her journey through this is she joined our company as a business office manager, because in Michigan you don't have to do an AIT- Mm
[00:10:42] for licensure. So she started as a business office manager, moved her way, and now she works at Trilogy-
[00:10:50] Chelsey Gheyara: Okay ...
[00:10:50] Paul Pruitt: as an executive director of a campus that was brand new, that was just, she opened it.
[00:10:56] Chelsey Gheyara: Nice.
[00:10:56] Paul Pruitt: So she opened it, um, with her team and stuff- Yeah ... and have had great outcomes. And- Nice ... again, I'll sing Elise's praises to the cows because she's just one of those leaders that- Yeah
[00:11:05] same, she followed your journey. She- That's awesome ... jumped in. She knew what she wanted, and she is a very strong leader.
[00:11:12] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:11:12] Paul Pruitt: So, I mean- That's great ... that's what we need is more Elise- Yeah ... and Davids
[00:11:16] Chelsey Gheyara: of the world.
[00:11:17] Paul Pruitt: Absolutely. So if you can find more people- Yeah. ... like you, David, and Elise- I'll go on a hunt.
[00:11:20] Yes.
[00:11:20] Chelsey Gheyara: Okay. Just add that to your day-to-day task- Mm-hmm ... other than an executive director. Yeah, we need that spirit of wanting to learn. Like, just- Right ... show up and I, I can't remember where I heard this, and I don't know if it was on a podcast or if I read it in a book or I watched it on a TV show, I can't remember, but I loved it, and it was, always if you can be the best at the worst, like it was given a reference of maybe someone that was worked in maintenance or, like, cleaning or something, I don't know.
[00:11:49] Maybe that's not something fun that we would think, however, be the best at it, you know? Yeah. And I, that's something I've always thought about as I learned that as a young leader w- I think when I was reading it, and I'm like, "That is such a good piece of advice." Yeah. Like, just whatever you're doing- Be the best
[00:12:05] David Frey: be
[00:12:05] Chelsey Gheyara: the best at it. And then, like you, just be a sponge, and you'll always have... It'll always work out.
[00:12:13] Paul Pruitt: It does. I mean, I think it's always a journey. I mean- Yeah ... like you said, I mean, I'm sure when you started your college career at IU, you weren't like mapped out to say- Yeah ... "By the time I hit this age, I wanna be running North Vernon."
[00:12:26] You know? But it's, it truly... And I think because you went on a journey and, like you said, a, a journey of being a, a sponge- Mm-hmm ... to learn, and an open door- Yeah ... you didn't come in with a preconceived. Now, some people are, like your brother, very focused on being a, a PT. Very much new. But also, I think that's what's cool about leaders and when they do go on those journeys of self-awareness and say, "What can I do?
[00:12:51] Where should I land?"
[00:12:52] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. '
[00:12:52] Paul Pruitt: Cause I can tell you it, it's one of the best careers I've ever-
[00:12:56] Chelsey Gheyara: Same ...
[00:12:57] Paul Pruitt: encountered, and I have no regrets in my whole life of- Yeah ... through the bad, the good, the ugly, I have no regrets.
[00:13:04] Chelsey Gheyara: There's nothing like going into a building and just- No ... talking with them or holding their hand or...
[00:13:10] I just, it, there's just nothing better. All right, so let's move on. David, you've described your leadership philosophy as helping the people around you become the best version of themselves. Tell me about a time when you saw that actually happen, when you watched someone on your team grow into something they didn't know they were capable of.
[00:13:31] David Frey: I think recently we have gone through some management changes at the North Vernon facility, and my ADON, when we went through the changes of the DON, and we had an interim DON, she really stepped up, put the team on her back, and really carried us through this, this tough time of change. I mean, change is always hard, and going through a leadership change like that- Mm
[00:13:52] is very difficult for a team, and the amount of effort and hours she put in to making us strive for greatness was awesome. Wow. And it really impressed me.
[00:14:01] Chelsey Gheyara: That's fantastic. That's
[00:14:02] David Frey: amazing. Like
[00:14:04] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:14:05] David Frey: Sh- She has also been at the facility for 27 years.
[00:14:08] Chelsey Gheyara: Oh, wow.
[00:14:08] David Frey: She was there, I think, the day it got built. She might've- What's
[00:14:11] Chelsey Gheyara: her name?
[00:14:12] David Frey: Amy Douglas.
[00:14:13] Chelsey Gheyara: Amy. Shout out to Amy.
[00:14:15] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:15] Chelsey Gheyara: That's awesome.
[00:14:16] Paul Pruitt: Just on the ca- this podcast, how old are you, by
[00:14:20] David Frey: 23.
[00:14:21] Paul Pruitt: Yeah, I just- That's
[00:14:22] Chelsey Gheyara: incredible.
[00:14:23] Paul Pruitt: It is. And-
[00:14:24] Chelsey Gheyara: That's awesome ...
[00:14:24] Paul Pruitt: and I just say it from the side of truly being a former administrator and leader, when those changes happen, it's a lot.
[00:14:34] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah, it's a lot.
[00:14:35] Paul Pruitt: Because in that role, as you talked about, your DON, your director of nursing, the person that is overseeing the whole clinical care of your building, and when that position opens up, there is nobody else, but it's your responsibility-
[00:14:49] David Frey: Yeah ...
[00:14:49] Paul Pruitt: to make sure. And to take that on as a 23-year-old and knowing what that stress can be and what, you know, are my residents getting the care?
[00:14:59] Are they getting the meds? Are they getting this? Kudos to you, David. I, I completely hats off to you. 'Cause again, I didn't start my journey into administration till I was in my 30s.
[00:15:07] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:15:08] Paul Pruitt: I don't even know what I would have done at 23, to be honest with you. Yeah. So I think that's absolutely phenomenal, and hats off to your team that wrapped around you, because that shows that you're leading them, because you gave them the empowerment, but you also guided them through a tough time to make sure the residents were cared for.
[00:15:26] Mm-hmm. So kudos. That's huge.
[00:15:28] Chelsey Gheyara: Thank you. Yeah, uh, that's one thing I want our young listeners to hear, and we have many other, you know, young leaders- Yeah ... in our company, and it's so important, and it's refreshing. And for those still trying to figure out what their leadership journey looks like is it's just knowing, looking at you here, listening what's possible, right?
[00:15:47] You're a huge inspiration to those folks out there, so that's exciting. So you said every decision should answer the question, does this improve the lives of our residents? Has there been a moment when that question was hard to answer, when you had to make a call that wasn't clean or obvious?
[00:16:03] David Frey: Yeah. So not too long ago, we had a resident's family member that wanted our resident to go out to a psych facility to see if additional care would be beneficial for them.
[00:16:13] This resident is really easygoing, sits at the same lunch table with his other guys every day for lunch and dinner, and he has this routine that he follows every day, and he causes no problems. He's a really nice, sweet guy.
[00:16:26] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:16:26] David Frey: So trying to make that decision, uprooting his current schedule and what he's going through right now to go to a psych facility and disrupt all that, that was a pretty difficult decision to make.
[00:16:37] Yeah.
[00:16:38] Chelsey Gheyara: I bet.
[00:16:38] Paul Pruitt: So did he actually move then?
[00:16:40] David Frey: Yeah, he did. He ended up going out to a psych facility for a week or two. Okay. And then he ended up coming back, and-
[00:16:46] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:16:46] David Frey: Well, now he's back ... he's the same person. Yeah. He's great. Um, he's really nice to talk to and everything, so. Yeah.
[00:16:51] Chelsey Gheyara: A, I'm sorry, 'cause that would be very hard, and you had to make that call, right?
[00:16:57] And he's back, and I'm sure that that was probably the right thing to do for the resident at that time. Um, but kudos to you, because making that call is, it's not always easy.
[00:17:08] Paul Pruitt: So let me ask this. So how did you guide your team through that? 'Cause I'm sure that that became very emotional for them. So it- Maybe they didn't agree with it
[00:17:16] it
[00:17:16] David Frey: was a little more complicated with guardianship-
[00:17:19] Paul Pruitt: Right ...
[00:17:19] David Frey: and all that with the family, so talking them through that, and just not compromising, but finding out what's best for the resident- Right ... for him to go out and get that additional care- Yeah ... or for him to stay in his routine that he's currently at.
[00:17:31] Paul Pruitt: Yeah, it's hard. I mean, 'cause y- when you put it into the big, the big pot-
[00:17:35] David Frey: Mm-hmm ...
[00:17:35] Paul Pruitt: so starting it, you have a guardianship, you have family dynamics, you have your own internal team's dynamics that may agree or don't agree, and you have to try to stay Switzerland, neutral-
[00:17:46] David Frey: Yeah ...
[00:17:46] Paul Pruitt: and keep the- Yeah ... resident at the center of it, the focus.
[00:17:49] Mm-hmm. Because everybody's emotions can go high.
[00:17:51] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:17:52] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:17:52] Paul Pruitt: And how do you keep everything within f- that framework of the care that we have to provide and do the right thing? It can be very complex- Mm-hmm ... and very... Again, I think that's what's cool about the industry and about the role. Mm-hmm.
[00:18:05] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:06] Paul Pruitt: But it can be very burdensome at times.
[00:18:09] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. What surprised you? So obviously, you were our intern for a little while. What, when you were, and now you're an executive director, so was there anything that just completely caught you off-guard that you weren't expecting from your prior exposure to our industry?
[00:18:26] David Frey: I mean, it's more person-centered than anything.
[00:18:28] Like- Yeah ... we do give the medical care and all that, but creating those relationships with the residents-
[00:18:33] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm ...
[00:18:34] David Frey: I mean, you'll keep those residents in your mind forever. Going in every day and talking with the residents, hearing them crack a joke and everything like that, that, that, that's my favorite part of going to work every day.
[00:18:46] Paul Pruitt: It's interesting, 'cause when you... 'Cause was your original journey, was it potentially hospital administration? Was that kinda where you were possibly leaning, or not necessarily?
[00:18:55] David Frey: I was definitely looking into both, and then once I got into the internship and saw what it's like in going to all the different facilities- Yeah
[00:19:03] I mean, and meeting residents, it, it's just, it drove my passion for long-term care and made me really want to stay in this industry.
[00:19:10] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:19:11] Paul Pruitt: Yeah. I think, you know, when I look at the industry, healthcare industry, so this is- Mm-hmm ... across all, you know, hospitals and all of that, I think if you are a very relationship-based person and love the relationship side, this is it.
[00:19:26] If I go back to my days being, working hospitals, as I'm sure Chelsey did- Mm-hmm ... as a nurse- You know, it's burden churn, I'll call it. Every three days, four days, they're in and out, they're in and out, they're in and out. So you don't have that opportunity to build that relationship, get to know those little idiosyncrasies- Yes
[00:19:44] become part of that family-
[00:19:45] David Frey: Right ...
[00:19:46] Paul Pruitt: environment. And then also striving to recognize that these people gave up a lot. Yeah. They had to give up a lot because they can't do it at home anymore, so they're giving up a lot. So how do you try to make that environment the best it possibly can under a medical model?
[00:20:00] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:20:00] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. '
[00:20:01] Paul Pruitt: Cause again, we're still a medical model. We still have to do all of the medical things, but how do we make it truly a home?
[00:20:06] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:20:07] Paul Pruitt: And I think that's what's cool about the industry.
[00:20:09] Chelsey Gheyara: I agree. I think about holidays- Yeah ... because- You know, you celebrate with your friends or your family and your loved ones, and we get to celebrate with our residents too.
[00:20:20] I don't know why, it's just they are a family in their own little intertwined community, right? Mm-hmm. They have friendships. There's... You know, I've worked in buildings where there's, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend, right? Yep. And, and it's their own community, but I think about holidays a lot, is it was always fun if I had to work Christmas or Christmas Eve, at least, you know, we had- Yeah
[00:20:40] a dinner. We got- I got to be with them, and that was really cool. Something you don't get to see if you're just working, like, retail or, you know, you're just getting screamed at by-
[00:20:51] Paul Pruitt: Right ...
[00:20:51] Chelsey Gheyara: people trying
[00:20:53] Paul Pruitt: to- Right. They're in the big Black Friday- Yeah ... and they're just, like, beating everybody up trying to get that last-
[00:20:59] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah
[00:20:59] Paul Pruitt: deal. Yeah. And again, I, being at your age and stuff, but I know what was cool about what you're referencing. It's really a family journey. Mm-hmm. Like, my family is just as tied into this industry- Yeah ... as I am. And back when I was an administrator, my family, Christmas Eve, we would always go to the building and help pass out the gifts.
[00:21:17] Oh,
[00:21:17] Chelsey Gheyara: that's awesome.
[00:21:18] Paul Pruitt: So we have pictures with, you know, my daughter with the elf's hat on, or- ... pictures of me and my son, 'cause he was little at the time, walking down the hall with the gift bags to give and- Oh, that's cute ... hand out to residents. And you know, so again, it becomes... And I always think whenever someone takes this journey, it's like, but is your family ready too?
[00:21:36] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:21:37] Paul Pruitt: Are they ready to go on this journey? Because again, the way we're structured, again, medical model, regulatory model, we're structured where at the end of the day, it is our, our license on the wall as administrators, and we are ultimately responsible. So you don't just get to ignore the phone ringing.
[00:21:54] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:54] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. '
[00:21:54] Paul Pruitt: Cause you have a personal f- a family commitment. You have to still take that call.
[00:21:58] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah, absolutely. That's very profound. David, you've worked on improving sanitation audits, maintaining five-star quality measures, and building positive experiences for your families. But what's the work that doesn't show up on a report or isn't a KPI, the thing that you do or your team does that makes a difference and nobody measures?
[00:22:20] David Frey: It's the connecting with the family and the residents.
[00:22:23] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:22:23] David Frey: I mean, yesterday we had an admission come in. It was, uh, probably around 6:00 PM, and I was there greeting them at the door-
[00:22:30] Chelsey Gheyara: Wow ...
[00:22:31] David Frey: and bringing their belongs in the, in the, into the room with them. And those are the things that just don't show up on any reports or anything- That's amazing
[00:22:38] that provides that customer service-
[00:22:40] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm ...
[00:22:40] David Frey: by being there for them, even when you might not be in the facility, if you give them your phone number and have them call you if they have any concerns or complaints or anything- Yeah ... to get those resolved so we're giving them the best customer service and care that they deserve.
[00:22:53] Paul Pruitt: Do you find that the families are shocked that you're the executive director by chance, or...?
[00:22:59] David Frey: I wouldn't say shocked. They definitely think I'm on the younger side. Yeah. Okay. But I, I don't reveal my age to them, so. No. What are some of the
[00:23:04] Chelsey Gheyara: most funny comments you've received? No.
[00:23:08] Paul Pruitt: No, I just... And again, it's not about an age thing, right?
[00:23:12] A leader isn't about, defined by an age. A leader is defined by their, their heart and their passion for what they do, and, but that's not the, how the industry defines it. They define it by, they look at someone and they're thinking, "Okay, how old are you again?" And so again, I just think it's amazing as families are coming in, and again, I, I don't want to keep focusing on age, but-
[00:23:36] again, I just commend you because, again, to families, that's tough.
[00:23:42] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:42] Paul Pruitt: When they get told either in the hospital that your loved one needs skilled nursing- Yeah ... or they get told that mom can't live alone anymore, she needs to be placed, those are big decisions. Those are hard decisions, and because a lot of people feel like they're giving up on their loved one.
[00:23:58] Mm-hmm. Yeah. And to know that you have a team and yourself that are willing to meet them where they're at and help wrap your arms around them to go through that journey is, again- Mm-hmm ... just the culture we want as a company.
[00:24:08] David Frey: Yeah, being able to be that person to support them- Right ... family members, and give them kindness through their journey of their loved one's healthcare journey, I mean, that- Right
[00:24:17] that just brings joy to me, being able to help someone out and make a difference in their lives.
[00:24:22] Paul Pruitt: Yeah. And what was your mom's name? I know you-
[00:24:24] David Frey: Julie.
[00:24:25] Paul Pruitt: So I mean, but kudos to your mom, Julie- Mm-hmm ... 'cause again, you're showing what she showed.
[00:24:31] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:24:31] Paul Pruitt: Yeah, both my parents. You know, like you said, is, is you said that she would even go to the funeral even though- That's incredible
[00:24:37] after that person passed away- Mm-hmm ... you know, her job was done.
[00:24:41] David Frey: Right.
[00:24:41] Paul Pruitt: But she still went to the funeral and paid that respect. We'll just say, you know, anybody that looks in, in, in business world, right, 8:00 to 4:00, 8:00 to 5:00, whatever, well, 6:00, most people would be like, "Well, your job's done." Well, no, I have a family coming in.
[00:24:55] I wanna make sure that they're safe and they're secure and they're respected and they're honored, and give them the support they need, so.
[00:25:02] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm. No, that's incredible. And kudos to you for doing that. Yeah. Because I think what's so important to kinda drill that mentality in a lot of our leaders' minds is the transport portion of our, you know, when they're a patient at the hospital, become, coming to our facility is, is very...
[00:25:18] It can be brutal sometimes. The, the ambulance ride is bumpy. Yeah. They're in a hospital gown. They're on a gurney. It's, you know, and then they show up at this place, they have n- they don't even, they don't know a single soul. Mm-hmm. You know? So I, I commend you for that, and it's a good reminder to our teams to just give, give our residents grace when they show up, and also be there.
[00:25:41] Like, you're setting a great example of that. And they're scared. It's uncertain. Yeah. You know? So kudos to you.
[00:25:48] David Frey: That fresh ice water when, when they get into the room- Yeah. Right ... for the first time means more to them- Yeah ... than anyone realizes, so. Yeah.
[00:25:54] Chelsey Gheyara: Absolutely.
[00:25:55] Paul Pruitt: I remember when I was administrator, someone said, I forget, they used not an acronym, but they were like the four Ps or something.
[00:26:03] Hmm. Like, you know, make sure they- Yeah ... I can't remember what it, but, like, positioning- Yeah ... like, every, all these things, but it- Pain ... makes sure within their first 30 minutes- Yeah ... like, pain, this, this, and this, and this. If you can make sure those first things are taken care of in that first- Mm-hmm ... 30 minutes-
[00:26:19] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah
[00:26:19] Paul Pruitt: it sets the whole tone for the rest of the evening, especially for somebody that's just getting to your building.
[00:26:23] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. If the 20-year-old version of you, one who had grown up around caregiving, but hadn't yet stepped into it professionally, was listening to this conversation, what would you want him or her to hear?
[00:26:37] David Frey: I think be open-minded. You hear so many different things about long-term care, but until you really step into a facility and experience it, experience the residents, experience the care team members, you don't really know what it's like. And being able to be in long-term care, it impact people's lives in a positive way.
[00:26:54] I mean, it, it makes you feel good, and that's something no one can take away from you.
[00:26:59] Chelsey Gheyara: Absolutely.
[00:27:00] Paul Pruitt: What was your thoughts. Like, if you kind of go back to that moment of time where you just think, "Nursing home?" Like, what was your thoughts?
[00:27:09] David Frey: So when I was a kid, I had a great uncle that was in a, a long-term care facility for- Okay
[00:27:14] 10-plus years. So growing up, I would go into the facility every once in a while and visit him and visit my great-uncle. But it, it was actually, like, the first door to the left after you walk into the facility fo- So we never really saw what it was like. Mm-hmm.
[00:27:27] Paul Pruitt: Okay.
[00:27:27] David Frey: But then after that time, then walking into facilities as an operations intern and just seeing the residents doing activities, playing bingo, them laughing, eating lunch or dinner, and all that stuff, it, it's just really cool and unique, and it, it made me wanna be a part of it.
[00:27:44] Okay. Yeah. Here I am, so...
[00:27:46] Paul Pruitt: So you didn't have that, 'cause some people, you know, again, I'm sure some of our listeners are listening to me like, "Nursing homes, seriously?"
[00:27:53] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm. '
[00:27:53] Paul Pruitt: Cause, you know, the image, right? Mm-hmm. What, what, what's portrayed, the smell, you know, pressure ulcers, all this stuff. But, you know, th- those are such old mentalities, but also not only old mentalities, they're also, yes, there's bad actors out there.
[00:28:08] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:28:09] Paul Pruitt: There always is in any, any- Right ... industry. It's not just nursing homes. You can find any industry and find the bad actors. But again, it doesn't define everybody out there that's striving to- Right ... really do the right thing. Yeah. And I think that's what I'm so proud about the company that we work in, is we are striving for that level of excellence of care and continue to push, and again, to set the new three-year strategy- Mm-hmm
[00:28:32] that we're working on is- Yeah ... just very exciting.
[00:28:34] Chelsey Gheyara: It's very exciting. And, you know, like you were saying, challenging. I mean, that's what we're doing. You know, we're challenging that status quo. Yeah, there's negative things about everything in this world. Yeah. And it's like, let's flip the script to think, what's the best that could happen, right?
[00:28:51] And it's the same with our, our industry, is it gets a bad rep just like- at so many other things get, get a bad rep, but I would challenge people to, to- Mm ... you know, whether it's volunteering at a local skilled nursing facility, you know, or donating Christmas gifts, or maybe their kid needs a, a job or something- Right
[00:29:12] or maybe if they want a career change, um, or if they're a nurse, right? Try long-term care. It's not for everyone, but it's, it's for someone, you know? Yep. So- '
[00:29:23] Paul Pruitt: Cause I don't know this. Do you guys do nursing students at North Vernon?
[00:29:27] David Frey: No, we do not.
[00:29:28] Paul Pruitt: And I think to your point, I think, but I think just, like, for an intern or for an IT, how do we give those fresh minds, those fresh perspectives, the best internship possible?
[00:29:41] Mm-hmm. But the same thing with a nursing student coming in. How do we give them the best experience, or a PT? Mm. Let's say your brother has... wants to do an internship in an, a nursing home. How do we give them the best experience of what their skill sets really can bring to the table versus what people make it sound like it is?
[00:29:59] So I'll use the example, zip, nursing, I just push pills.
[00:30:03] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm.
[00:30:03] Paul Pruitt: There is so much more.
[00:30:05] Chelsey Gheyara: Right.
[00:30:05] Paul Pruitt: So much more that we can tap into nursing that do even higher quality for us. Therapy, I just generate revenue. There is so much more looking through the lens that I look through now that therapy can do to help us.
[00:30:20] I was in a building yesterday rounding, and they have 40, 40 Hoyer lifts. Really?
[00:30:25] Chelsey Gheyara: Holy
[00:30:26] Paul Pruitt: cow. 40 out of 140-ish residents, so almost a third of their population is on a Hoyer. Well, you, we all know what that takes.
[00:30:38] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:30:38] Paul Pruitt: A lot- It takes- ... of work ... two nurses or two aides. It takes you going to find the equipment. A lot of time.
[00:30:43] A lot of time. Mm-hmm. So again, as a therapist, what can I do to improve the quality? Mm-hmm. Not only for the residents' lives, but also for the care team members' lives, 'cause if I can improve both sides, it's a win-win.
[00:30:57] David Frey: Mm-hmm. '
[00:30:57] Paul Pruitt: Cause I'm giving you time back as a nurse- Mm-hmm ... and your team b- time back that can focus on the residents that really may need that focus.
[00:31:05] But also I'm bringing back the quality of life for our residents.
[00:31:07] Chelsey Gheyara: Right. Right.
[00:31:08] Paul Pruitt: And I think that's what I wanna keep pushing Majestic for is-
[00:31:12] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm ...
[00:31:12] Paul Pruitt: okay, yes, it's a business. I get it. We gotta make money to b- do builds, new improvements, pay salaries, all that. But there also is a way that we can do this and do it very strategically-
[00:31:24] Chelsey Gheyara: Right
[00:31:24] Paul Pruitt: and give- Right ... the best care. Yeah.
[00:31:26] David Frey: To touch on someone starting out, whether it's in PT or anything like that- Yeah ... I think when I was an operations intern, I, I visited many facilities and trying to see what it was like being an administrator, executive director in a long-term care facilities. Some of the facilities that I would visit, I w- I would sit in meetings- Yeah
[00:31:42] and I would sit at the desk across from the executive director at that time, and we would just talk, and I would pick his brain. When I went to Bloomington, who- which became my AIT- Mm ... facility, I was unloading boxes of s- from the, the med shipment that came through for all, with all the clinical supplies, and I was running around the facility with Warren, just- Yeah.
[00:32:02] try- trying to catch up to him to figure out what was going on and all that. And that, that was just a great example of what it really is like to be an executive director in a- Yeah ... facility and helping out in all areas, not just in your role, but all- Yes ... the staff in the facility. '
[00:32:15] Paul Pruitt: Cause if you really can wrap your arms around it, you can see where your systems are fractured, so you can figure out is there a better process, is there a better way for you to do it.
[00:32:24] You can see where the stress points are on your team. I mean, you can see so much. I always say that's kind of like rounding. That's that one thread. If you do that, you get out in your facility, you round, you talk to your team members, you go out and you see what's going on, that one thread, you can come away with five different things.
[00:32:43] You can, like, if we change this, it'll improve that. And if we change that, it'll improve that. But at the end, it all goes back to the residents. And that's what- Yeah ... I think is just so cool about it. If you want to do this and be a desk job, it's not.
[00:32:57] David Frey: No,
[00:32:57] Paul Pruitt: it doesn't. It doesn't work.
[00:32:59] David Frey: No,
[00:32:59] Paul Pruitt: it's just not. It gives you the metrics, like you said, the KPIs.
[00:33:01] You can see all the information, but you wouldn't see what you're seeing-
[00:33:04] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm ...
[00:33:05] Paul Pruitt: because you're not just looking at the metrics.
[00:33:07] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:33:07] Paul Pruitt: You're looking at the heart and you're looking at the culture- Yeah ... which that's where the foundation is.
[00:33:12] Chelsey Gheyara: What would you tell other young leaders? Like, how do you manage your day?
[00:33:16] Like, how do you juggle it all?
[00:33:19] David Frey: I create a list every morning of things, actually the night before sometimes. So what are my probably like 10 things on it? What are the five things that I need to do? I get those done. Yeah. And then the other things might be smaller things that can wait till the next day, or if I have time, I can get to it.
[00:33:33] It's just a little organization process that I do to make sure I can get the most important things done throughout the day.
[00:33:39] Paul Pruitt: When I look at going into administration the world becomes very, your focus becomes very regulatory, 'cause there's this big emphasis on the regulations, and n- it really almost, like, can consume you to where your head is just there.
[00:33:55] Mm-hmm. But recognizing the role is more broad than just that. Mm-hmm. So how do you balance that with, you know, you have that, you have the quality, you have the care, you have the relationships, you have the finance. 'Cause I see where executive directors can almost start focusing in one area too heavily- Mm
[00:34:12] and missing the whole, because there's a bigger picture you have to keep in mind. So how do you balance trying to keep all those balls in front of you- Yeah ... so you can balance it all out?
[00:34:23] David Frey: It doesn't always work, but I try- Sure ... to organize my day, and when I get there in the morning, I put my stuff in the office, and then I go and around the facility and check on each unit and make sure nothing crazy is going on, everything's- Yeah
[00:34:34] calmed down, breakfast is getting served, the kitchen is good, all the meals and trays are coming out correctly, and all that. And then I, I try and sit down before morning meeting, get all the stuff I need to before morning meeting, any information I need to find out, and be prepared for that meeting. And then it kinda depends on the day, whether- Sure
[00:34:50] there's more meetings throughout the day. But I always take time to go out around the facility, check on all the units, the residents, to make sure they're all- ... doing okay.
[00:34:57] Paul Pruitt: And did your schooling prepare you for, like, the financial side of the business?
[00:35:01] David Frey: I would say yes. Okay. There was a very, I wouldn't say strict, but a great professor that really drilled into all of us students at IU very hard, and she really prepared us for the financials.
[00:35:14] But I'm still learning new things- Sure ... which is really cool, and I actually have been really enjoying diving into the financials and figuring out, all right, why are our expenses so high?
[00:35:24] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:35:24] David Frey: What can I do to lower these expenses, and how can I increase revenue? So...
[00:35:29] Paul Pruitt: Yeah, I mean, and that's, it's an art.
[00:35:32] David Frey: Mm-hmm.
[00:35:32] Paul Pruitt: And it's, it's, it's a puzzle. It is. It's a puzzle. And it can be very cool when you start digging, but again, it's that balancing of it all.
[00:35:39] David Frey: Yeah. '
[00:35:39] Paul Pruitt: Cause again, you could be in the middle of it, and I, you know, I think every leader needs to recognize there's times where you can just shut the door and it's okay.
[00:35:47] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:35:47] Paul Pruitt: There's times you can turn your emails off, you can shut your phone off, you can say, "Hey, I'm gonna start my day at Starbucks." Mm-hmm. It's fine to, to do those. Whatever you need to do- Mm ... to set your course so that you can do what you have to do for the residents. Because again, I'll go back to it, I'll always back to those decisions will impact the residents very positively.
[00:36:08] Yeah. But if you allow everything to take over, maybe those decisions you're making aren't being done timely enough, and your residents aren't getting what they ca- could benefit from because you're just getting so sidetracked. Mm-hmm. 'Cause, like, the industry can absorb you.
[00:36:22] Chelsey Gheyara: Mm-hmm. Absolutely.
[00:36:23] Paul Pruitt: It can suck suck you in.
[00:36:25] Yeah.
[00:36:26] Chelsey Gheyara: 100%. Yeah. You got to... You can't lose yourself. What is that saying? You can't pour from an empty cup.
[00:36:31] Paul Pruitt: No. Yeah. That's absolutely true.
[00:36:33] David Frey: Yeah.
[00:36:33] Paul Pruitt: Mm-hmm.
[00:36:34] Chelsey Gheyara: We're gonna do the last couple questions here, and this question I ask everyone. Um, what does excellence mean to you?
[00:36:42] David Frey: I, I think excellence is going above and beyond.
[00:36:45] Like, like I told about the admission we had yesterday and, and being there at the door for them and being kind to them and just helping out families and whatever they need. I mean, we're there for the resident, their family member, but also supporting them and maybe giving additional support methods for them throughout their journey.
[00:37:03] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah. That's incredible. Is there anything else you would like our listeners to hear today?
[00:37:09] David Frey: Anyone interested in long-term care, be open-minded and just jump on into it.
[00:37:14] Chelsey Gheyara: Yes.
[00:37:14] Paul Pruitt: Yeah.
[00:37:14] Chelsey Gheyara: Dive in.
[00:37:15] David Frey: Yep. You
[00:37:15] Paul Pruitt: know, and I... Really, what I do value what you said, David, is I think, and you said your wheels are spinning- Yeah ... is, you know, how do we get in front of the young leaders- Mm-hmm
[00:37:26] out there, and how do we really promote? We're not perfect. We miss the boat all the time. I mean, there's days, I can tell you there... I can assure you today I screwed up somewhere. I can assure you. I just haven't seen it yet.
[00:37:39] Chelsey Gheyara: Yeah.
[00:37:39] Paul Pruitt: But we fix it. We move on, and we keep correct- Yeah ... course-correcting and making it better.
[00:37:45] And we keep our mission in front of us. We keep our values in front of us. And we just keep moving forward, and I think how do we, again, get in front of those young leaders to really get that passion out there?
[00:37:58] Chelsey Gheyara: Absolutely. Well, David, thank you so much for joining us today. We can't wait to watch your journey and watch you soar.
[00:38:05] So for everyone listening, thank you for tuning in to The Hearts of Excellence. David's journey is a reminder that the most powerful leaders in long-term care aren't always the ones who sought out the title, they're the ones that work found first. If you're interested in learning more about the culture at Majestic Care or want to find out more about career opportunities, visit majesticcare.com/contactus.
[00:38:29] If you or a loved one needs long-term care, reach out to us. We're here to support your next chapter. Talk to you soon
[00:38:39] Thanks for listening to Hearts of Excellence. To learn more about becoming a care team member or how we can support your loved ones, visit majesticcare.com. And don't forget to follow and share because every story deserves to be heard.